Lip Service

It is a human courtship behavior that is incredibly widespread and common... yet we are still not exactly why it is so widespread or what purpose it serves. What is it about kissing that makes humans (and other primates) from almost all socities and cultures chose to pucker up?

Determined to understand more about this lip-smacking phenonmeon, two Oxford professors, Rafale Wlordarski and Robin Dunbar set up an online questionnaire in which more than 900 adults weighed in on importance of the smooch in their relationships. The results of their research, funded by the Archives of Sexula Behavior and Human Nature, yielded some fascinating responses:

People who are more selective in choosing a romantic partner tend to value kissing more than others.

Sexual arousal was not cited as a driving factor in why people kiss in romantic relationships.

Women rated kissing as generally more important in relationships than did men.

People reported the importance of kissing changes for them according to whether they're in a long-term or short-term relationship. Women cited kissing as being especially important in long-term relationships.